Indulgent Carrot Cake Cream Cheese Bars Recipe
These Indulgent Carrot Cake Cream Cheese Bars combine the moist, warmly spiced flavors of classic carrot cake with a rich, tangy cream cheese swirl. Perfectly tender and sweetened with light brown sugar for caramel notes, these bars make a delightful dessert or snack.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Carrot Cake Batter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup freshly grated carrots
Cream Cheese Swirl
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 large egg yolk
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with heavy-duty non-stick aluminum foil and lightly spray the foil with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Melt butter: Melt ½ cup of unsalted butter in a large microwave-safe bowl for about 1 minute, then allow it to cool slightly so it doesn’t cook the eggs in the next step.
- Combine wet ingredients for batter: Whisk into the melted butter one large egg, 1 cup of light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until fully combined and smooth.
- Mix dry ingredients: Sift together 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg. Gradually stir this mixture into the wet ingredients gently to avoid overmixing.
- Fold in carrots: Gently fold in 1 cup of freshly grated carrots until they are evenly dispersed throughout the batter.
- Prepare cream cheese mixture: In a separate bowl, beat 4 ounces of softened cream cheese with 1 large egg yolk and ½ cup granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Assemble batter and cream cheese swirl: Pour the carrot cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Spoon the cream cheese mixture on top, then use a knife or skewer to gently swirl it into the batter, creating marbled patterns.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool and slice: Allow the bars to cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours. Once cooled, lift them from the pan using the foil and slice into squares for serving.
Notes
- For best results, freshly grate carrots rather than using pre-shredded to avoid excess moisture.
- Ensure cream cheese is softened to room temperature for smooth mixing.
- You can store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Feel free to add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter for added texture.
- If you prefer a stronger spice flavor, increase cinnamon to 1.5 teaspoons and nutmeg to 1 teaspoon.
Keywords: carrot cake bars, cream cheese bars, carrot dessert, cream cheese swirl, baked carrot bars, easy carrot cake
